iATLA
by Wulver
Summary: Hopefully a descent iCarly/ATLA crossover.
1. Prologue

**Yes I am aware that I promised another chapter of FB but my ADD decided to kick in and I had the sudden urge to write this. Don't worry I am working on FB. This is just gonna be a side project.**

**Warning: I am horrible at writing prologues so give it a chance please.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except the weird plot.**

_**Scene Changes**_** are shown like this.**

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"You want to what?" Carly looked at Freddie with a confused expression. She had just opened her locker when he ran up and asked to watch some cartoon he had borrowed from a friend in her apartment. "Why can't you watch it in your own?"

Freddie's head drooped. His friend had told him some things about the series and Freddie had wanted to watch it ever since and was hoping Carly would just let him, not ask Twenty Questions. His mom was the reason. She didn't want him watching cartoons. She thought they would rot his brain if he watched even one second of them. "Please Carly? I really want to watch this and you know how my mom is."

Carly could tell he was near begging and gave in before he tried to in the hall. "Okay but you can't watch it right away. We have iCarly tonight."

Freddie nodded.

Sam walked up a few minutes later eating a piece of cake. Carly and Freddie, too used to things like this, didn't even question it. Finishing get her stuff, she told her friends to hurry up so they could do one last rehearsal for the show.

_**Later that night**_

Freddie cut off his camera and congratulated the girls. The show went off without a hitch, though they thought the storm brewing outside might cut the electricity. He was just about to put away his camera when Sam screamed from halfway down the stairs, "Hurry up dork or me and Carly are gonna start watching TV." Knowing that she wasn't joking, Freddie quickly finished cleaning up and ran down the stairs. He slowed down as he reached the bottom seeing Carly and Sam just standing there staring at something.

"What are you guys staring at?"

Both just lifted their hands pointing at something. Freddie followed their hands with his eyes and his jaw dropped. Standing in front of them was Spencer finishing hooking up what had to be the biggest TV they had ever seen. It covered a large portion of the wall which made the three question how it got into the apartment.

Spencer turned to see the kids staring wide eyed at the monster behind him. He couldn't help but laugh wishing he had a camera. "Cool, huh?" The three slowly nodded their heads, still too amazed by it to talk. Socko had got a chance to try out a new prototype from one of his customers. Problem was he had business in another state so he let Spencer borrow it. "So...you guys want to try it out?"

Freddie was the first to recover.

"Oh hell yes!" Running into his apartment, he grab the dvds and snuck past his mom. By the time he got back, Carly had a tub of popcorn ready, Spencer was finishing getting drinks and Sam was laid out on the couch. He walked to the giant screen and began looking for the player. "Hey Spencer where's the dvd player? I can't find it."

"Hold on a sec!" Spencer carried in a case of Peppy Cola and set it on the coffee table. He stepped next to Freddie and gave a goofy grin. "Watch this." He pressed a button and speakers started popping out of the sides. He pressed another and a stereo came out. Pressing the last a panel slid open and a five-disc dvd player appeared. The kids were bug eyed but Sam managed to speak what the others were thinking.

"Okay...this is the most awesome TV EVER!"

Freddie quickly put the disc in and ran to the couch. After getting comfortable, he grabbed the remote and pressed play.

"So what are we watching?" asked Carly.

"Oh, it's a show called Ava-" Freddie voice was drowned out as a loud crash of thunder rang through the air. With a flash of lightning, the lights went out. Everyone groaned except Spencer. "Well there goes that..."

"Not exactly," answered Spencer as he started slowly making his way through the dark. Reaching the TV, he flipped a switch and the room was filled with the soft glow of TV light.

Freddie and the others were gob smacked. "This thing has a generator?!"

"More like a giant battery. Now hit play!" Spencer quickly ran back to his spot.

The screen was soon flashing and a deep voice started talking. "So you wish to hear the tale of the last Air-" Lightning flashed again making the screen go fuzzy. The group watched as the screen shut off then turn on with near blinding light. Their eyes widen as glowing white hands started coming towards them.

Everyone immediately started to try and climb over the back of the couch. Sam was nearly over when one of the hands caught her ankle. She gripped onto the couch as it tried to pull her in. Looking back and forth, she could only watch as her fingers slipped. When she couldn't hold on any longer, Sam closed her eyes and let go. Floating was the only way to describe how she felt as she was pulled in. Feeling something wrap around her wrists, she opened her eyes to see Freddie trying to pull her back.

"Don't worry Sam. I got ya."

Sam stared as she watched actually Freddie gained some ground. She was about to say something when more hands shot around her and grabbed him as well. Slowly the feeling of being pulled started again. Looking to Freddie, she saw that he was giving her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry."

Carly could only watch as the hands finally pulled her friends in. "Spencer we have to go after them!"

Spencer didn't know if that was a good idea but he knew they had to do something.

"Alright but hold on to me as tight as you can."

Gripping onto her brother, Carly pulled him forwards and jumped into the TV. She and Spencer were sent spinning as they sucked deeper into some kind of vortex. Looking down, she saw Freddie and Sam. Sam had been pulled from the boy's grip. Both reached the end and vanished into a wall of light. Managing to turn herself and Spencer downward, she sped up their descent. Soon they reached the end as well and passed through the light.

**- - - - - - - - - -**

**Hopefully at least someone made it this far and yes to those that noticed it, I did steal the hands thing from FMA.**


	2. A New World

**Thought this might give people more of a reason to read.**

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A boy groaned as he slowly began to wake. His body ached all over especially his shoulder and head. He slowly pushed off the ground slightly before opening his eyes to see where he was. It was a long hallway lit up by torches every so often. Looking up, he found what he thought might be a window hatch. Just barely getting to his knees, the boy grabbed the handle and pulled himself up with his one good arm. He opened the window to see an endless body of water. This would explain why it felt like he was moving while standing still.

Leaning against the wall for support, he made his way down the hallway. Voices filled the air just before he reached the adjoining hall. Peeking around, he saw a guy close to his age talking to what he could only describe as soldiers. "Alert the crew. Scan the whole ship. Whatever that strange noise was, we need to find it." The soldiers bowed and started running off.

One started running in his direction and he knew something bad would happen if he got caught. Slowly backing up, he ran as quietly as his pain would allow trying to find a place to hide. He almost made it around the opposite end of the hall when he heard the soldier yell after him. Not looking back, he ran blindly through the ship, hiding in random places when he heard soldiers close by. Eventually the sounds stopped.

Waiting a few more minutes, the boy snuck out of the room he was currently hiding in. "What were you doing in my room?" He slowly turned to see the guy his age and two soldiers behind him. Now that he got a good look at him, the guy seemed to have a permanent scowl on his face and his left eye was severely scarred. Gulping loudly, he tried to make a run for it. He was quickly grabbed from behind and his arms pinned behind his back.

Zuko stared at this strangely dressed boy in confusion. They had been sailing for weeks with no stops. _'How did this boy get aboard my ship?' _Turning to the unoccupied soldier he spoke. "Go tell my uncle we have found the disturbance." He then told the other to take the prisoner to the brig for questioning and to report back whenever he found out anything.

_**The Brig (Twenty minutes later)**_

"TELL US WHERE YOU CAME FROM!" screamed the soldier punching the boy into the wall. It had been like this ever since they threw him in here. They asked the same question over and over, he told them that he didn't even remember his name, and then he would be hit which would just keep adding pain to his current state. He spit out the blood that was in his mouth and told them he didn't remember again. "So you don't remember? Let me help you with that." His eyes widen as the man's hand caught fire. The soldier lifted him up and pinned him to the wall before holding the hand close to his face. "Now do you remember?"

"I TOLD YOU I DON'T REMEMBER ANYTHING! CAN'T YOU GET THAT THROUGH YOUR HEAD?!"

The boy knew it wasn't the best idea to piss off the man but what else could he do?

The soldier glared menacingly at him.

"That's it!" He could only watch in horror as the flaming hand was placed over his right eye. The pain was beyond anything he'd felt before. His scream ripped through the ship as not only did his eye burn but something seemed to be burning itself into the back of his neck. The world soon went black as he faintly heard the door slam open and someone jerk the hand from his face.

_**Zuko's Room**_

Zuko sat in his room with his uncle waiting for the news on the prisoner.

"Zuko, would you like some tea? It's by far the best I've made in months," his uncle called joyously.

He gave a small smile reserved specifically for his uncle and declined. He really didn't know where he'd be without his uncle here with him. His hand unconsciously reached up to feel the scar. The mark that showed his dishonor to the world. The pain from when he got it had him out for three days. A pain that he felt sometimes to this day. Even if he ever regained his honor, he wouldn't wish it on the most heinous of traitors.

Iroh shook his head as he watched his nephew touched his scar. _'Brother, you went to far when you did this...'_ A scream broke through his thoughts. The scream sounded frighteningly familiar. He turned to Zuko, whose eyes were wide. That's when he remembered it, the same scream Zuko had made when he was scarred. Zuko ran from the room. "Prince Zuko!" Iroh ran after the prince trying his best to keep up. When he finally reached where Zuko was, he had a soldier pinned to a wall with a fire blade at his neck.

The general searched the room, looking for the source of the scream. His eyes soon landed on a boy with a burn mark over his right eye near identical to Zuko's. He quickly told one of the soldiers, who appeared after hearing the scream, to take the boy to the ship's doctor. As the soldier left, Iroh's eyes turned back to Zuko. Reaching forward and grasping Zuko's shoulder and tried to get his nephew's attention. "Prince Zuko." Zuko's head snapped in his direction. Eyes of pure rage looked back at Iroh. "Let him go." The flaming knife flickered slightly. "You need to leave. I will take care of this." Zuko let out an angry growl and punched the soldier to the ground before leaving.

"Thank you General Iroh," said the soldier while rubbing his neck.

The relief was short lived as the soldier froze up when Iroh started glaring down at him.

"Do not thank me. This is now your room. At the next port, you are being shipped back to the Fire Nation." Iroh watched the man's eyes grew wider with fear. There would be hell to pay for his actions. "Be glad I do not wish for your death to weigh on the Prince's conscience." That said he left the man in the cell. _'Now to find Prince Zuko.' _His search soon lead him the infirmary. Zuko was standing over the boy who now had his head and shoulder wrapped in bandages.

"Did I look like this, Uncle?"

Zuko watched as Freddie writhed in his sleep from the pain. He turned to his uncle, only to see him look down. He let out a roar of anger releasing smoke into the air. "What did you do with the fool?" His voice dripped with venom.

"Do not worry, Prince Zuko. I have everything taken care of. Please go get some rest."

Zuko silently nodded and left with Iroh but not before giving the boy one last look.

_**Gaoling, Earth Kingdom**_

Toph walked around the backyard of her family's estate bored out of her mind. That stupid 'master' her parents paid to teach her the basics of earthbending had just left. _'I'm twice as good as that old goat will ever be.' _Suddenly a devious idea entered her mind. Tapping her foot, she sent out a vibration and found that no one was within her 'sight'. Taking a deep breath, she held herself in her personal fighting stance. It was much looser than most earthbending styles but she preferred it that way. Rapidly stomping her foot, pieces of earth rose around her. Gracefully moving her arms, the rocks danced to their bender's will.

Toph, now in her own little world, was aware of everything thanks to her unique ability. Everything, that is, but the gaping hole in the sky above her head. It wasn't until she felt the vibration of a person hitting the ground did she snap out of her zone. _'Crap! How did I not sense her?!' _Calming down quickly, she noticed that the person's heart was beating but she wasn't moving. Running over to her she tried to wake her up. When that didn't work she took on her 'innocent' voice and started calling the guards in distress.

Soon a guard ran up and asked what was wrong. She said she followed a noise and found a person unconscious. She had the guard carry the person and lead her to her room. Setting the girl on the bed, the guard said he would go fetch a doctor. Toph thanked him and he quickly left. Sighing, she waited for the girl to wake up. After a bit getting impatient she started poking her until the girl woke up.

"Ugh...my head." Sam rubbed her head as she sat up. "Freddie, any ideas on why Spencer's fancy TV went psycho on us?"

"Who are you talking to? And what is a...TV?"

Sam freaked when she heard Toph's voice. She opened her eyes only for everything to be too bright. Rubbing her eyes, she slowly opened one only for it to happen again. "Can someone turn down the lights or something! I can't see a thing!"

"Is it really that bright in here?"

Sam growled. "What are you blind? Of course it's too bright. I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't." This chick was really getting on her nerves. Then the girl said yes she was blind. Sam went silent for a bit. '_Well this is awkward_.'

"Uh...sorry?" Normally she wouldn't apologize but even she knew when it was needed. She didn't honestly think the girl was blind.

"Ah no worries. Doesn't sound like you can see either."

Sam tried one last time only for the same result.

"I guess so. Well you got anything to eat. I'm hungry."

Toph felt the growl of Sam's stomach. She called a guard and told them to bring up some food.

"By the way, names Sam Puckett."

"Toph Bei Fong."

After eating quite a bit for two small girls, the doctor arrived. "What seems to be the problem?"

"Yes, Toph, what seems to be the problem?" Toph stiffened as her father's voice called out. Chuckling nervously, she made up a story about how she might have tried some earthbending and how she might have accidently hit Sam. Her father was not pleased. "How could you try something so dangerous? And to hurt someone, even if it was an accident, is inexcusable." Sam chose to interrupt before Toph could apologize.

"Hey look. It was my own fault. I heard strange noises and wanted to see what they were. Also what the heck is earthbending?" Though she couldn't see it, everyone was staring at her like she was crazy. Toph told her she must have hit her head harder than she thought and let the doctor take a look.

The doctor started examining her and concluded that some how the hit had caused her eyes to become hyper sensitive to light. As a precaution to not cause more damage the doctor suggested covering her eyes with something. Toph offered one of her headbands as a solution.

_**Bei Fong Family Garden**_

Sam stumbled for what felt like the hundredth time since Toph brought her out here. After covering her eyes with a dark green headband, Pucketts don't wear girly colors, Toph offered to help her get used to getting around blind. "Ugh! This is so annoying!"

Toph laughed. "It's not that hard once you get used to it. Just remember don't bring your foot all the way up. Sort of slide the sole of your foot across the ground." That was what she did before she discovered 'seeing' with her feet. Man she loved being an earthbender.

Trying what Toph said, she slowly started getting it. "So what did your dad want to talk to you about?" This question was really for two purposes. One to know what they were talking about and two to see if she could see if she could follow the voice right.

Toph rolled her eyes and said that she was banned from her earthbending for a week. As she finished, she felt Sam's hands moving through the air trying to reach for her. Grabbing Sam's wrists, she smiled though she knew the girl couldn't see it. "Though to tell you the truth," she slowly bent Sam to her face level and started whispering. "I am ten times better than that prick of an old goat." Both of them started laughing and soon fell to the ground.

Sitting up, Sam looked at what she thought was the general direction of Toph. "Hey, what exactly is earthbending? You guys keep talking about it but you've never said what it was." She listened as Toph went into detail about earthbending. By the end, she was pretty sure that everyone around her was crazier than Freddie's mom. "So you honestly expect me to believe that you can make a chunk of earth rise and move it through the air like it was a feather in the wind?"

"Believe what you want. I know what I can do." A thought suddenly came to Toph. Said thought also happen to come with a smirk. "If you don't believe me how about I show you?" She quickly shot out her hand and slowly started to lift it.

Sam was about to ask how but she started freaking out when the ground beneath her started shaking. "What's going on?!" Soon she had the feeling that though she was touching the ground, she wasn't really apart of it. Suddenly, the back of her neck started hurting. Soon the pain doubled as she felt like something was grinding into her neck.

Toph heard as Sam growled in what sounded like pain and slowly lowered the earth.

Sam rubbed the back of her neck as the pained stopped. She couldn't feel any blood. What could have possibly happened? As she felt the whatever she was floating on land she was suddenly flooded with a crazy awareness that was like she could almost see but just the outline. Quickly standing up, she ran to Toph not even thinking about it. Grabbing the smaller girl's shoulders, she shook her. "Toph, what's going on?!"

Toph stared in amazement.

There was only one way to explain this.

"You're an-"

_**???, Southern Water Tribe Territory**_

Spencer trudged through the snow with Carly curled up in his arms. After the fall, which was luckily very soft, they looked around only to see a white in every direction. He agreed when Carly suggested they try and find higher ground to get a better look around. When they finally found a descent sized hill, they climbed to the top. Noticing a pillar of smoke rising towards the sky, he decided that should be the first place they look.

At first the cold wasn't so bothersome. Though they were shivering, it was something manageable. Then the wind started. It wasn't long before the cold finally took its toll on one of them. Spencer panicked a bit when Carly collapsed, but remembering the smoke, he picked her up and started moving towards as quickly as possible.

"Don't worry Carly. You're gonna be warm soon."

Spencer watched as a giant wall of snow came into sight. Reaching it, he looked from the bottom to the top. _'Wow...that's a lot of snow.' _Shaking his head he started calling out for help. A little kid's head popped over the edge. "Kid! Can you let me in?" The kid nodded and waved his arm to follow him. Soon finding a gap in the wall, he ran to it only to come to a sudden stop as a spear tip was held at his face. A boy, who looked kind of like an Indian and was probably no older than Carly, held it there and glared at him.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" The boy's eyes shifted to Carly. They grew slightly before glaring harder. "Leave now."

Spencer was getting pissed now. Carly was knockout from the cold and he didn't even want to think about what would happen if she didn't wake up soon. "Look you little nub! My sister is in serious need of warmth and I'm not going to let some spear-weilding, ponytail wearing, bow and arrow boy stop me from getting it for her! So get that thing out of my face and tell me where we can get warm!" The boy stumbled back before resuming his stance.

"Sokka, let them through." An old woman said as she walk up to them.

Lowering his spear, Sokka groaned. "But Gran-Gran..."

She held up her hand which silenced him. Motioning for him to follow, Spencer was lead into a hut with a fire sitting in the middle. He quickly sat near it and started rubbing Carly's arms hoping to get her warmed up faster. His mind completely occupied, he nearly jump out of his skin when someone tapped his shoulder. He turned to see a young girl holding a pile of blankets in her arms.

"Gran-Gran told me to give these to you and to help if you need anything. Are you by any chance hungry?"

After eating, he continued to watch Carly. She still hadn't woken up, even after he wrapped two blankets around her. Katara, the girl from before, had said it may take some time. That people who weren't used to cold take time to adjust to it. Carly's body was simply keeping her asleep so she wouldn't feel the sometimes odd shift. The artist was brought out of his musing by the sound of Katara opening the tent flap. "Hey. I was just wondering if you needed anything else? The tribe is going to turn in soon so if you need anything you need to ask now or wait till morning." Spencer shook his head.

"No and thank you. For everything. I don't even want to think of what might have happened to Carly if you didn't help us."

Katara just smiled before leaving.

Spencer spent most of night keep the fire up and going over everything that had happened. They were in a whole new world that was completely unknown to them. Then there was Freddie and Sam. Finding them could take a great deal of time and with no idea of where to start, he just didn't know how it was possible. When the last embers of the fire finally went out, he pulled his little sister close and tried to get some sleep. Maybe it would help him think of something.

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**Well I hope you liked it. Review and tell me what you think.**


	3. The Boy in the Iceberg

**Well here's the next installment. I'm going based on the episodes so expect this to be a long ride. It's also the reason for the length.**

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Carly stared into the crystal blue water as she and Katara paddled along side Spencer and Sokka's boat. She had finally woken up around noon the day after they had arrived in the strange world. One of the first things she saw was Spencer poking a fire nearby which she was grateful for. However, the girl, who had a bundle of something she couldn't make out next to her, sitting across from him talking, was confusing. When they had finally noticed she was awake, her brother tried to crush her with a hug while Katara introduced herself. They hit it off rather quickly and it turned out the bundle was a change of cloths Katara had brought so they could keep warm.

Meeting with the village had been kind of awkward for her. Everyone seemed to look at her with fear in their eyes. Well everyone but Katara, her Gran Gran, and Sokka. Sokka, who she later found out was Katara's older brother, had a glared leveled at her most of the time. When she asked what his problem was he'd mumble something about fire and walk away. At least the children weren't afraid of her after a while, mainly thanks to Spencer. They loved him for his wackiness and proudly announced to the whole village he was their new big brother. So when they found out she was his real little sister, the fear disappeared as if it never existed.

"Sokka, look. I caught some!"

Carly came back from her little world to see her new friend swaying her arms back and forth, moving around a mass of water with fish inside. The first time she saw Katara moving the ice and water around; there were questions of sanity going through her mind. Then she found out about the four bending styles. It was hard to picture people shooting out fire and air and moving earth and water. But Katara's waterbending was testament to it, though she said that she could do more if she had a teacher. Again she came out of her thoughts just in time to witness the backside of Sokka's spear burst the water bubble all over the boys' canoe.

"Why is it that every time you play with magic water I get soaked?!" Sokka yelled at his sister.

Spencer laughed slightly even though he was soaked as well. Sokka did tend to get hit with her bending just about every time she used it. He had been impressed as well by this ability, though it took him less time to think it over. They were in a different world that just so happened to play by a different set of rules. Plus he thought it was totally awesome. A shiver ran through him as a spot on his neck seemed to be colder than the rest. He rubbed the spot using his hand to try and heat it up. The cold finally gone, he looked ahead to see a strangely visible current.

"Guys, is that good?"

By the time the others looked up it was too late and they were swept in.

The four paddled hard trying to maneuver through the blocks of ice surrounding them. The farther they got the more the ice bumped their boats. "Go left! Go left!" Katara had shouted but even she was having trouble doing it. The ice kept getting closer together and larger until finally two small icebergs tried to crush them. Barely making it onto one of the chunks of ice, they sighed in relief when the water finally calmed. Now they just had to figure out how to get back to the main land.

Here is where the arguing started.

"You call that left?"

"You don't like my steering then maybe you should have waterbended us out of the ice?"

Sokka waved his arms around to mock his little sister.

Katara was officially ticked.

"So this is my fault now?!"

Spencer and Carly couldn't help but be reminded of Sam and Freddie as the two fought. That is until water tribe boy commented on how the girls were the ones to screw things up. The web star took offense to that while the artist thought that was a bit harsh. The two took an unconscious step back when Katara started exploding causing the water to churn behind her.

"You are the most sexist, immature, nut brained…I embarrassed to be related to you!"

Sokka just waved off the insults his sister tried until he heard a loud cracking sound. His eyes widened as the large iceberg behind her had a giant crack.

"Ever since mom died I've been doing all the work around camp while you've been off playing soldier!"

The boy was scared now as he tried to calm his raging, element controlling little sister. "Uh…Katara…" The words were lost on her.

"I even wash all the clothes! Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell you! Not pleasant!"

Two large cracks appeared this time forcing Sokka to freak. "Katara settle down!"

"No! That's it! I'm done helping you! From now on you're on your own!"

With one last mighty swing of her arms, the ice pillar was broken right down the middle and began to crumble. This resulted in a large wave pushing their 'ground' back and nearly over. Again, they barely made it.

Katara felt everyone's eyes on her but she was too focused on what she did to hear anything they said. Did she really do that? Did she actually just destroy it?

Suddenly, a giant glowing orb broke the surface of the water.

"What is that thing?" asked Sokka as he slowly moved forward.

Spencer accidentally thought out loud. "That would be a giant glowing orb that came out of the ocean. Thought something like this was normal for you guys?" He got confused when the two water tribe members shook their heads. That was until Carly pinched him and told him he was talking out loud. The artist became very sheepish for a bit before following everyone across to the orb.

Carly, though she just pinched her brother for it, thought this might be something normal as well. She did her best to peer into it to see if anything was inside. There was a large shadow near the top and a small human boy shape just under it. She had just noticed its strange glowing tattoos when the eyes popped open. He was alive, trapped within the ice. Thinking fast, Carly grabbed Sokka's club he was always carrying and started hitting the ice. "Carly!" The ice had just broken when her brother covered her and they were both blown back by air.

They all starred as the ice sphere crumbled and a large beam of light shot into the sky.

_**Zuko's ship**_

The prince had just got back from visiting the boy again when a beam of light shot up from in the distance. This was it. This had to be the avatar's doing! "Finally." It came out as nothing more than a whisper but power he felt at that word was indescribable. Soon he would be able to go home and take his place with his family but more importantly to him, he would have his honor returned. "Uncle! Do you realize what this means?" Zuko asked turning to Iroh.

"I won't get to finish my game?"

Zuko was slightly unnerved by his uncle's response. "It means my search is about to come to an end." Iroh sighed at him in doubt. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source! It has to be him!" It had to be! He didn't know what he would do if it wasn't.

Which was exactly what Iroh was worried about. They had been down a road like this many times and each time took a bit more from his nephew. The ex-general had been realistic every step of this journey and knew the chances of finding the Avatar where slim at best. But for his nephew's sake he had let him dream. Not this time though. Not after the depression Zuko went through with the last one.

"Or it's just the celestial lights. Please sit. Relax and have a glass of calming jasmine tea."

"I don't need any calming tea! I need to capture the Avatar!" His raging eyes shot towards one of his soldiers staring at the light. "Tell the helmsman to set a course for the light!" The soldier bowed and headed for the steering room.

Iroh sighed again as he felt the ship's course change and continued with his game, trying not to focus on the ominous shift in the wind.

_**Beam of Light Ground Zero**_

When the storm like winds stopped, Spencer and Sokka, who had moved in front of Katara as well, slowly uncovered the girls. The pillar of light soon dissipated and spread to fill the sky like the Aurora Borealis. The two moved forward slowly with their spear and club, which Spencer had taken from his sister, at the ready in case something came out and tried to attack them. Soon the boy like figure from the ice stumbled to the top and stared down at them. "Stop!" Sokka cried as he waited for an attack. The figure stared down a few more second before the glowing stopped and he fell forward.

Katara didn't think as she rushed forward and caught the boy. She couldn't help worrying and hoping he was okay. The water girl glared at her brother when he started poking him with the back of his spear and told him to stop. Her unconscious need to protect him was baffling. She laid him gently against the snow and it wasn't long before he was moaning into consciousness and opening his eyes.

The boy drowsily opened his grey eyes to meet the ocean blue eyes of a water tribe girl. She was quite beautiful and he found it nice to wake up and her be the first thing he saw but that wasn't what was important right now. Had the ice he and Appa were in really floated all the way to one of the poles? It wasn't apart of the original plan but he could certainly take advantage of the situation. Maybe even the girl would like to come too.

"I need...to ask you something..."

Katara was shocked he was able to talk but asked him, "What?"

"Please...come closer..."

She leaned closer before asking him what he needed. Something in her said to listen very closely. His eyes drooped again before suddenly snapping open.

"Will you go penguin sledding with me?"

Katara was agian shocked but said, "Sure...I guess."

Sokka smacked his forehead.

Carly giggled slightly at the boy's childishness.

And Spencer contemplated the awesomeness of penguin sledding.

The boy forced a current behind him and launched him self up. It freaked everyone out but he didn't mind it. He was too happy the girl was coming along. She could even bring her friends too except the grouchy looking one with the spear. He was trying to take in the area and brushing off spear boy's questions, which he didn't know the answers to, when he heard a rumbling growl. He quickly crawled up the mound of snow before sliding down and pushing off with wind to land on his giant, fuzzy buddy. "Appa!" Pulling up one of the beast's eyelids, he tried to wake him but that didn't work so he jumped down and tried to pry his mouth open. The boy laughed as Appa's tongue came out and licked him into the air. He was so happy to see his friend okay.

The group went around following the boy and came face to face with the behemoth known as Appa.

"What is that thing?" Carly asked slowly as she peeked from her hiding spot behind Spencer.

"This is Appa, my flying bison."

Sokka, being his usually dense self, didn't believe what he was seeing and did what he did best. Be sarcastic.

"Riiiight and this is Katara, my flying sister."

The boy rolled his eyes but then trained them on the tallest one as he approached Appa. He seemed to be a grown up but something about him gave off a childish aura. The man started petting and scratching the highest part of Appa he could reach before he moved down until he reached Appa's chin, one of his weak spots. His friend's tongue started to loll out and soon he was on his side looking like he was on 'Cloud 9'. This seemed to encourage the girls as they came running up and began petting all over his stomach. Appa loved it so much he started shaking his back leg. Suddenly the bison started shaking all over and the boy thought something was wrong. When its lip started curling back and his nose scrunched up, he knew what was happening. He dived forward as Appa sneezed and a large stream of snot shot out right onto spearboy.

Carly had watched her brother walk towards the giant bison thinking he was crazy and was going to get eaten. It didn't happen though. He started petting it and as soon as Appa fell to his side her 'cute animal' gene kicked in. It must have happened to Katara as well because she followed after her and they both began rubbing his belly. His kicking leg had made it all the more adorable. She thought something went wrong when he started shaking then he sneezed all over Sokka. This brought on a dilemma. She didn't know if she should gag at how disgusting that was or laugh at how girly Sokka was acting. When Katara called Appa a 'good boy', she went with laughing.

"Don't worry. It'll wash out!" The boy had said brightly. "So do you guys live around here?"

Sokka went back into warrior mode when he heard the question. He told everyone not to answer that and that he was probably trying to signal the Fire Navy.

Sarcasm was never really Carly's thing. That had been Sam all the way but she felt it was needed now.

"Yes, Sokka, I'm sure he's with the Fire whatever. You can tell by that evil look in his eyes."

The water boy just turned and grunted when the boy gave a smile with a five-year-old's innocence.

Katara decided to step in before her brother made himself look even more stupid.

"This would be my paranoid brother, Sokka. The tall one over there is Spencer," she smiled when the man gave a big wave," and the one girl next to him is his little sister, Carly. You never told us your name."

"I'm Aa-" The boy's came to a stop as he started to curl his lip back and scrunched up his nose. His bellowing sneeze sent him rocketing into the air. The weird and amazed look made him laugh. He slid down a bit of snow before ending right back where he started. Wiping his nose real quick, he continued. "I'm Aang." He was about to correct Sokka on his short trip into the air when he noticed Carly on the ground a few feet away. His sneeze must have knocked her back. He and the others quickly rushed over to see if she was okay and for Aang to apologize.

Carly just sat up, rubbing her neck as a weird sensation went over the back, and ask, "So I take it you're an airbender, huh?"

Katara was in shock while Sokka had had enough.

Giant light beams. Flying bison. Airbenders. He was having a serious case of 'Midnight Sun Madness'. He was going back to the village where things made sense. The edge of the ice reminded him that they were stuck in the middle of no where with no way of getting home. "Well if you guys need a lift me and Appa can help you." This kid was really starting to bug him. And there was no way he was getting anywhere near that snot monster. Then his sister decides to be all smart and ask him if he wanted to wait for the next monster to get a ride home. Grudgingly, he agreed.

Katara, Carly, and Spencer happily climbed aboard their new furry friend.

When everyone got situated, Aang gave a few brief instructions. "Okay, first time flyers hold on tight! Appa, yip yip!" Appa gave a loud grumble before bringing his tail up and slamming it down, launching them into the air. They went up quite a bit before splashing into the ocean. The airbender was worried. "Come on, Appa. Yip yip!" Sokka's sarcasm started again which got him smacked on the back of the head from Carly. "Appa's just tired. A little rest and he'll be soring through the sky. You'll see."

They continued their journey back to the village even as the sun set.

_**Prince Zuko's Ship**_

Iroh watched as the sun slowly fell. Today was an exhausting day, especially for the prince. But he knew Zuko too well and set out to make sure he got some rest. He soon came upon his nephew on the highest part of the ship, looking out towards where the pillar of light had appeared.

"I'm going to bed now, Prince Zuko." He gave a yawn for dramatic effect. "Yep, a man needs his rest." Feeling like he was being ignored, Iroh decided to be blunt about the situation. "Prince Zuko, you need some sleep. Even if you're right and the Avatar is alive, you won't find him." He hated saying these things to his nephew but he had to know his chances were low. "Your father, grandfather, and great grandfather all tried and failed."

"Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture. Mine does." Zuko had to believe he could capture the Avatar. There was no other way. "This coward's hundred years in hiding are over." Feeling his uncle's continued stare, he finally said he would get some rest. He took the long way to his room. The need to check on the boy was overpowering. The boy still writhed in pain every time Zuko came to visit him. It frightened him how much compassion he felt. This time was different though. The pain looked like it was finally going away but that was not was different. Scorch marks marked the ground all around him. That is when he witnessed it. One of the boy's hands fell over the side and fire shot from his finger tips.

He was a firebender.

One of his own people and his officer had scarred him for life.

Twenty minutes later, the prince entered his room for the night. His soldiers would find the traitorous one beaten in the morning.

_**In the middle of the ocean, On Appa's back**_

Katara stared up at the sky as they drifted along. Her friends and brother were spread out on the saddle, passed out from exhaustion. She couldn't really blame them. It had been a marathon of events. Who would have known a simple fishing trip would turn into this. Her mind soon began to wander until it came back to what it always did. The war. She had always had faith that one day the Avatar would return and end the war. He would come in, defeat the Fire Lord, and return peace to the world. Everyone always called her a dreamer and that he died off with the rest of the Air Nomads as that was his last incarnation. Thoughts of airbenders quickly brought her back to Aang. He was an airbender, possibly the last of his kind, so maybe he knew something. She moved to the front of the saddle and watched as he rested his eyes, unsure of how to ask.

"Hey..."

"Hey. What'cha thinkin' about?"

"I guess I was wondering, your being an airbender and all, if you had any idea what happen to the Avatar?

Aang froze. He knew something like this might happen but he wasn't ready to tell her his secret. Not after what happen with his other friends back home. "Uh...no. I didn't know him. I mean I knew people that knew him...but I didn't. Sorry." She accepted his lie without a second thought and told him goodnight. It wouldn't be.

_**Dreamscape**_

_Aang snapped awake as thunder and lightning crashed all around him and Appa. He had fled his home to get away from everything. His friends basically shunned him and the elders kept trying to force more training sessions. He had to get it away from it all. So he ran. Fire Nation or Earth Kingdom, it didn't matter. As long as it wasn't there. The storm was becoming an issue though. The gale force winds were pushing them all over the place and the ocean was making waves high enough to nearly touch them. It soon became too much and they were forced under the water. Every attempt to surface was a wave to the face. He couldn't breath and as his consciousness slipped, he felt Appa's reins leave his hands. Suddenly his body was moving on its own, doing things impossible for a normal airbender. His fists collided and a sphere of air grew until it surrounded them both before a layer of ice covered them._

_Aang..._

_Someone's voice was calling him._

_Aang...wake up..._

_**Southern Water Tribe Village**_

Aang snapped awake, gasping for air.

Katara placed a comforting had on the boys shoulder. "It's okay. We're in the village now. Come on and get ready. Everyone's waiting to meet you!" She waited and watched as Aang pulled on his shirt. That's when she noticed his tattoos. They ran from the middle of his back and ended at every major body part. Noticing he finally pulled on his shirt and had his strange staff in hand; the water girl grabbed the air boy's wrist and dragged him out before stopping in front of everyone. "Aang, this is the entire village. Entire village, Aang."

Aang bowed respectfully. When the villagers stared at him in awe, he asked if Appa sneezed on him or something.

"That's because no one has seen an airbender in over a hundred years. We thought they were extinct. That is until my grandchildren and their friends found you," spoke Gran Gran as she stepped forward.

Extinct. That word kept going through the Air Nomad's mind. It wasn't possible. They were just held up somewhere hiding. His people were peaceful and abhorred fighting but what would cause them to hide?

Spencer had been playing with the kids again when Katara brought out Aang. The kids had really wanted to meet him so he started herding them back to their parents carrying the smallest ones on his arms, legs, and shoulders. He thought it was strange how everyone was looking at him until Gran Gran stepped forward. Something like that was a bit heavy to put on a kid who didn't even seem to know about it. Then Sokka came along and started messing with Aang's staff. The boy just grew this smirk and airbended the staff back to him and started talking about how it let him fly before making wings pop out from it. _'Okay. That was cool.' _The kids like it as well and told him to do the magic trick again. The airbender laughed before taking off into the sky.

Carly watched as Aang swooped back and forth through the sky. Just the sight of it seemed to stir something within her like she wanted to be him. The problem is after the plane ride to Japan and the window washing platform incident she was terrified of heights. The feeling of envy didn't go away until he smashed head first into Sokka's snow 'Watch Tower' making it turn into just another pile of snow. The kids and Spencer ran over to tell him how cool he was while she just continued to think about that feeling.

_**Zuko's Ship**_

A boy sat next to the man named Iroh as he watched the prince train. He had awakened just this morning and had nearly had a heart attack when he found Iroh sitting next to him. Scrambling to the corner, he curled into himself and waited for someone to finish him. It never happened though. When he finally found the courage to look up, the boy found a bowl of steaming noodles. His stomach took over at that point. He grabbed the bowl and began devouring the food, completely ignoring the fact that it should be burning him. Iroh had told him to stay close and he did. Now here he was watching things that should be impossible. Zuko was having fire shot at him by his training partners and shooting it right back but for some reason Iroh didn't like it.

"No, power in firebending comes from the breath. Not the muscles!" His nephew knew this but still refused to listen. He was being impatient and Iroh would not teach him something he wasn't ready for. When he refused to teach him the next set, Zuko roared and he knocked one of his opponents down. He then began to argue that the Avatar had years to master all the elements which gave even more reason for Iroh not too.

"Whoa!"

Zuko and his uncle turned to see the nameless boy to see a ball of fire floating in his hands.

An amusing thought came to the old general.

"Prince Zuko, I will teach you the advanced sets."

Zuko knew his uncle too well to know he would give up so easily. There was something to this.

"If you can prove you have mastered the basics by teaching our young friend the same."

The two teenagers gaped at him.

_**Southern Water Tribe Village**_

Everyone in the tribe had a designated job

Spencer was currently doing his by watching the children while Carly was off helping Katara. Other than sculpting, his list of skills was limited. So Gran Gran convinced the other mothers of the tribe to let him be the official daycare. Currently, he was only watching the girls as Sokka had taken the boys and was giving them some boring speech about how they was supposed to protect the village. The fact that the oldest boy there was seven seemed to be lost on him. He watched as Sokka smacked his face and the boys started towards the 'bathroom'. They ran into Aang who immediately distracted them, ticking Sokka off even more. "Hey have you seen, Aang?" He jumped and turned to see Katara and his sister before pointing over to where the kids were using Appa's tail as a slide.

Sokka was ticked. No, he was beyond ticked. This Aang kid comes in and starts messing up everything up. He was sick of it. "Stop! Stop it right now!" The warrior got right in Aang's face when he jumped down. "What's wrong with you? We don't have time for fun and games with the war going on.

This was news to Carly, Spencer and Aang. No one had mentioned anything about it. "What war?" the three asked simultaneously. Sokka looked at them like they were stupid.

"You're kidding, right?"

Sokka was about to tell them when Spencer and Aang yelled.

"PENGUIN!"

The two raced after the animal, Aang using airbending to run faster and Spencer seemed to be skating across the top of the snow like it was ice.

The water boy turned to see his sister and her friend giggling.

"They're kidding, right?"

They both shook their heads before going after the two. A field of penguins was where they found the two boys trying their best to capture some. It was quite hilarious to watch. They seemed to finally notice the girls and began to wave them down.

"We have a way with animals," Aang said before he and Spencer started waddling around like the birds around them. He now knew why the man gave off such a strange feeling. The artist was basically a kid in an adult's body. Just like his old master Monk Gyatso.

"Hey Aang, I'll help you and Spencer catch a penguin if you teach me waterbending."

"You got a deal. There's just one little problem...I'm not a waterbender. Isn't there someone in your tribe that can teach you?"

Katara wished there was. She was the only one but desperately wanted to learn.

The airbender saw her frown and assumed there wasn't. He snapped his fingers when he thought of something. "What about the North Pole? There's another tribe up there, right? There are probably plenty of waterbenders up there." Aang just smiled when Katara tried to joke about it being on the other side of the world. "But you forget. I have a flying bison. Me and Appa can take you there!"

She wanted to do it but she was afraid. The water girl had never left home before and the idea of leaving it for who knows how long terrified her.

Carly chose to step forward while Katara thought about it. She and her brother had been talking and had finally decided to ask. "Um...Aang," she waited until she got his attention, "do you think me and Spencer could come with you if you decide to go? We got separated from my friends and really need to find them."

"Sure." He turned back to Katara. "You think it over. Now teach me to how to catch one of these guys!" Aang's smile brightened when she giggled. He liked the way she laughed. She started talking about the ancient and sacred art of catching penguins before tossing a fish at him. The penguins swarmed him, tickling him as they tried to get the fish.

Soon they were all sledding down the side of a mountain on penguins, laughing the whole way down. The fun slowed to a stopped after they passed through a cavern and onto a flat plain. They came face to face with a Fire Navy ship trapped in ice.

Aang, of course, wanted to check it out.

"Aang, stop! We're not allowed to go near that thing. The ship could be booby trapped."

"If you want to be a bender, you have to let go of fear."

Spencer didn't like the looks of the ship since he first saw it and Aang's recklessness was making it worse. "Look kiddo maybe we should stay away from it. If Gran Gran thinks it's bad there has to be a reason." Aang waved him off and told him not to worry. Yeah, like that was gonna happen. Katara moved to follow but looked back at him with uncertainty. He was going to try and stop her but decided against it. "Just be careful, okay? You're brother might kill me if I don't bring you back." She seemed to try and gather her confidence before nodding. As he watched the two disappear into a hole in the hub, he was liking the ship even less than before.

Carly was just hoping Gran Gran was wrong.

Aang and Katara moved through the winding halls with slight excitement and fear in their steps. Snow filled the dark hallways and the air was filled with the smell of burnt metal and ash. They reached an old armory before either of them talked. "This ship has haunted my tribe since Gran Gran was a little girl. It was part of the Fire Nation's first attacks." The air bender looked at his friend in disbelief.

"Okay...back up. I have friends all over the world, even in the Fire Nation. I've never seen any war."

Katara shift through ideas, trying to find a reason he had never heard of the war until a crazy one entered her mind. It was the only one that made sense. "How long were you in that iceberg?" He looked like he was thinking it over before saying a few days at most. "I...think it was more like a hundred years." It seemed impossible but there was no other explaination. The reason he didn't know about the war and his people was because he had been asleep for a century.

Aang tried to take all of it in. A hundred years. How much had he missed? He really needed to sit down. Katara sat next to him and apologized for what had happened, something that wasn't even her fault. She said that maybe there was a good side to this and there was. He got to meet her. This seemed to bring him back from despair. When he finally felt good enough to walk, they start for the entrance. They had just made it into the steering room when Aang tripped over a wire, setting off a crazy chain of events. A barred door closed off their exit and chains and pipes were making noise all around them. Soon a giant flare shot into the sky and they both knew something bad would come of it.

_**Zuko's Ship**_

Mako got back into the ready position as he waited for Prince Zuko to fire another barrage of attack. Ever since Iroh had set forth the requirements for further training, the prince had been running him ragged. Zuko said that the first thing any firebender learned was to repel fire. He started off with showing him a few of the different methods and to light his hands to block with. Soon the prince was actually shooting fire and at first he couldn't do it. Not because of skill but because every time he saw the fire coming at him, the burning hand would fill his thoughts. Zuko seemed to understand his fear because of his scar but didn't go into depth on how he gained his.

"Are you ready?" Zuko asked as he too got into stance. He had been...concerned when Iroh decided to name the boy, Mako. His uncle's pain never really went away after his cousin died.

"Rea...dy...Prince Zuko, what is that?" Mako asked as a ball of fire shot into the air.

The prince looked to see a Fire Navy ship's emergency flare fall from the sky. He called to one of the soldier who brought him a telescope. Peering through, he saw an old and battered ship trapped in ice. Suddenly, two people jumped out of the top and leapt impossible long jumps until they reached the ground and met up with two other people. Airbending was the only way that was possible which meant that had to be the Avatar. He couldn't help thinking he was pretty agile for an old man. The prince smirked as he watched them head to a village nearby.

"Mako, go find my uncle. Tell him I've found the Avatar and as well as his hiding place."

**- - - - - - - - - -**

**Hope you liked it. Review please.**

**They never gave the name of Iroh's son to my awareness so I decided to use the name of the late and great Makoto 'Mako' Iwamatsu, the original voice actor for Iroh. May he teach many to break flaming bricks in the afterlife.**


	4. The Avatar Returns

**New chapter finally. I was kind of in the mood to update this and there was a sudden mobbing of reviews, so here it is. Enjoy. Warning to Sokka fans. He's going to be a bit of an ass in the beginning of this chapter. Also thanks to him, you will get to see my own running gag I have in store for this. Another thing, thanks to some of my reviewers I have found out that Iroh's son was named Lu Ten but for the simple fact that I really just don't want to call Freddie that, I'm sticking with Mako. Just pretend that was Iroh's nickname for him or something. One more thing, since I haven't said it yet(or at least don't think I have) thanks to all the people who've reviewed, fav'ed, and story alerted this.**

Spencer knew as soon as the flare shot into the air that something had gone wrong and the only reason he wasn't running into the ship to find Aang and Katara was because the ship looked like it was about to collapse. It killed him that he couldn't do anything to help them. "Spencer, look!" He looked to where his baby sister was pointing and saw Aang jumping from down from the ship, Katara in his arms. As soon as they landed, the artist was on top of them.

"What the heck did you two do? Are you okay? I knew I shouldn't have let you go in there! Gran Gran's gonna kill me! I'm gonna be turned into Spencicle! You guys will never find my -"

He was cut off by a snowball hitting him in the face. Spitting out what had landed in his mouth and wiping off his face, he saw Carly tossing another snowball up and down.

"You done?" Carly asked with an eyebrow raised. When he nodded his head she dropped the snow. "Now let's just head back to the village and try and think of what we are going to tell Gran Gran and Sokka."

The thought of those two angry was enough to make Katara shiver.

The sight that met them when they made the short trek back to the village didn't instill a lot of confidence either.

The entire village stood waiting for them.

"Yay! Spencer and Aang are back!" one of the kids cried as they ran up to them and tried to pull them away to play.

"I knew it," Sokka roared over the kids and pointed at Aang. "You signaled the Fire Navy with that flare." He was going to lead the Fire Nation right to them. It would be mere hours before they were swarmed by firebenders. They tried to get by with some made up explanation but for once his grandmother was on his side. Gran Gran even started to get angry at his sister until the young airbender took the blame. "Ah ha! The traitor confesses! Warriors, away from the enemy. The foreigner is banished from our village."

"You're making a real jerk of yourself, Sokka," Carly said with her hands on her hips.

Sokka leveled his usual glare at the girl. "Shut up you. I should banish you too for most likely helping him you little Fire Nation witch." The little girl backed down immediately like he knew she would. Suddenly he felt himself being lifted high off the ground and came face to face with a very ticked off looking Spencer.

"Listen here you little...nub!" He had a few other choice words he would of liked to say but none he wanted Carly to hear. "I've watched you glare and belittle my little sister for the last few days and I'm sick of it. So we're just gonna leave with Aang." Spencer pulled the terrified boy till their faces were nearly touching. "Thank whatever higher being you have in this world that I'm not going to use your skull in one of my sculptures." Having said his piece and making an empty threat, the artist tossed Sokka down and took Carly up the hill to where Appa was waiting.

Katara was infuriated.

"Sokka, you're making a mistake!"

"No, I'm keeping my promise to dad. I'm protecting you from threats like _them_."

"_They _are not our enemy!" The waterbender turned to the villagers with pleading eyes. "Don't you see...Aang, Carly and especially Spencer have brought us something we haven't had in a long time. Fun!"

"Fun? We can't fight firebenders with fun!"

When Aang disagreed, Sokka told him to leave the village for the last time.

Katara pleaded with her grandmother but she thought it was best at least Aang left.

She felt she only had one option left.

"Fine! Then I'm banished too!" She grabbed Aang's wrist and started pulling him to Appa. Her brother yelled after her asking where she was going. "To find a waterbender! Aang's taking me to the North Pole!"

"I am? Great," exclaimed the confused but excited airbender.

Sokka went for the low blow.

"Katara...are you really going to choose them over your tribe? Your own family?"

Aang knew as soon as she didn't answer that she couldn't leave like this and he wouldn't make her.

"So you're leaving the South Pole? This is goodbye?"

She looked, with sad eyes, to each of her new friends and wondered if she would ever have the chance to see them again. The girl couldn't help but ask where they would go.

"I thought I might see if I could find any surviving airbenders at my old temple," he looked up to where Spencer was leaning over the side of Appa's saddle, "you know...if that's okay."

The artist shrugged. "Your bison, Arrowhead." This inadvertently made Carly giggle making Spencer cheer.

After Aang made a joke about not cleaning his room in a hundred years, they said their last goodbyes and headed off.

Katara felt like her heart was breaking as she watched them leave. They had filled the village with so much life with the few days they had spent there. Spencer had made the children so happy that they seemed to completely forget about the war and Carly became one of the first real friends she ever had. Then there was Aang... She didn't even know the words to describe the weird immediate connection she felt with him.

"Katara you will feel better after-"

"Are you happy now?" Katara shouted, interrupting her grandmother. "There goes my one chance at becoming a waterbender." She stalked past her and moved to go into the village only to be stopped by her brother. Before he could say anything, she said, "Don't even try and talk to me." She shoved his arm away and disappeared into the village.

Sokka shook off the terrified feeling he still had left from Spencer's threat and told his soldiers to get into position. They didn't have much time.

_**Some distance away from the village**_

Not long after leaving, Aang, Spencer, and Carly decided that since Appa still couldn't fly then they would need to give him more time to rest. So now they were all laid back in the snow, most likely staying one more night before they started their journey to Aang's home.

"Yeah I liked her too," Aang answered to Appa's grumbling. He knew it didn't actually mean that but it was an easy way of letting out how he felt. It was strange. The airbender had only known Katara for two days but it felt like he had been ripped from someone he'd known all his life.

Carly was curled up on Appa's head trying to use the bison's body heat to keep warm. She had been rather turtle-like since Sokka's outburst. Finally finding out why he, and obviously the villagers, seemed to hate her hadn't lessened the sting. Spencer had tried to cheer her up his usual way of tickling her but not long after the sting came back, though it didn't hurt as much as before. The girl had just about fallen asleep when she noticed something in the fog that had rolled in not long ago.

"Hey guys. What's that in the fog?"

Both boys looked to see the outline of a Fire Navy ship heading straight for the village.

Aang jumped down from his spot and started to take off to the village. "Aang wait! You'll never make it there in time!" Spencer screamed at him before he could take a step. The airbender knew he was right but he had to try something.

"Yes _we_ can."

Both boys looked to Carly to see her surrounded by penguins. They caught on fast.

"Carly, you are one mad genius!" Aang complimented.

_**Southern Water Tribe Village**_

Sokka rushed through the village getting everything prepared for the attack. Once everyone was in place, he returned to his tent and began changing into his battle gear. Finishing his war paint and double checking his shoulder guards like his dad had taught him, the warrior sheathed his boomerang and grabbed his giant leopard sea bone club and walked to the north wall. It was the closest to the water and he knew the Fire Navy would try and take every advantage and cheapskate maneuver they could. What they didn't know was the Southern Water Tribe's greatest warrior was waiting for them. He stared out into the dense fog that had set in, waiting for any sign of the firebenders.

Soon the ground began to quake and villagers began gasping in fright.

The water boy had just groaned about his watchtower falling again when he saw the shadow. "Oh man…" The villagers screamed from behind him and began running for their lives. Scared out of his mind as the ship broke through the ice blocking its path, Sokka ignored his sister's cry to move and held his ground. That is until the ship hit the wall and began to push the snow back. Lucky for him, he managed to keep his balance.

The water people watched in awe and terror as the ship came to a stop.

Sokka tried to stay calm as he waited for something to happen. Thanks to reflex and a little more luck, he managed to dodge out of the way as the ships front spike fell forward.

Zuko waited patiently for the ships docking ramp to drop. It was strange but he felt calm more so than he thought he would. Had he been told last week that they had found the Avatar, he likely would have jump over the side in the ship but not before bashing the skulls of the docking operators. "Shifu*, what should I do?" Zuko turned to his student, who was now dressed in a soldier's uniform instead the strange clothes he was found in, and shook his head. Though Mako had progressed rapidly in the two days of training they'd had, he was in no way ready to face someone of the Avatar's prowess.

"Stay close to Uncle. Things are likely to become catastrophic quickly."

Mako pounded his fist into his now armored chest and bowed before taking off to find Iroh.

The Fire Prince took a deep breath as the ramp finally lowered and immediately began searching for the Avatar amongst the people of the village. Besides the boy at the base of the ramp, all there were was women and children. The only one who even looked close was an elderly woman standing next a teenage girl. The problem was according to the stories, the last Avatar was a _male_ airbender. A sudden battle cry drew him from his search as the club wielding boy charged him. Efficient as his uncle raised him, Zuko kicked the club from his hands and came back and kicked him into a pile of snow.

Dealing with what seemed to be the only resistance the village had, the prince walked down the ramp and again began his search. Even up close, there was no immediate sign of him. "Where are you hiding him?" The people just continued to stare at him and stayed silent. He eyed the elderly woman. Though it went against everything his uncle had taught him, he didn't have time. His hand shot out and he pulled the woman towards him. "He'd be about this age. Master of all four elements?" Still there was silence so he pushed, lighter than any other prisoner he might have captured, the old woman back to the girl and swept a stream of fire at the villagers. Uncle would not be pleased when he found out. "I know you're hiding him!"

Again a battle cry filled the air.

Zuko looked back slightly to see the warrior charging him wildly again. Bending down a bit, he tossed the boy over his back and sent a fireball to where he landed. The boy barely managed to dodge and sent a bladed boomerang at him. The weapon would have cut up his face had he not dodged. "Show no fear!" One of the children shouted before tossing the warrior a bone spear. Soon the boy was charging again. _'This is getting annoying.'_ Waiting till the tip was a foot away, the prince snapped his arm up breaking the spearhead off. For good measure, he broke it twice more before grabbing the rest from the boy's hands. Then, as if to beat into his skull that it was over, he poked his head with the other end until he fell to the ground. He was just about to ask about the Avatar again when something slammed into the back of his head. Whatever calm mood he'd been in when he got off the ship had officially just disappeared. Zuko was really starting to think the Spirits were out to get him.

Sokka had silently cheered when his trusty boomerang had come back and slammed the guy in the back of the head. That is until the firebender created a pair of fire 'knives' and from the way he was looking at him, he wouldn't like what the bender had in mind. His attention was drawn from the firebender to the three torrents of snow shooting their way closer and closer. Then he saw who was leading the snow sprays. Aang, Carly, and Spencer where racing forward on…_ 'Are those penguins?'_

Aang went through the leader's legs with his staff out sending him flying through the air and face first into the snow.

Spencer held out his impossibly long seeming arms and close lined the back of the spear wielding Fire soldiers' knees.

Carly, who seemed to be going the fastest of any of them, shot under one of the masked soldiers making him fly in the air and land on his comrades.

The three slid to a stop in front of Katara, Gran Gran, and Sokka, only to be kicked off by their penguins, who decided they were done cooperating. The brother and sister waved while Aang said, "Hey Katara. Hey Sokka."

"Hi…guys. Thanks for coming."

Sokko felt like a jerk now. He banished them from the village and they still came back to save his butt. 'Big time' din't even come close to how much he needed to make things up to them.

Zuko took a few calming breaths as he moved to his feet. Whoever knocked him and his soldiers down would be taken care of and he could get back to finding out where the Avatar was. He looked to see a boy holding a staff at the ready, a man that seemed to tower over even the tallest horn of his men's helmets and a girl who could only be described as Fire Nation, though he was confused on how one of his people got to the South Pole. Motioning with his hands, his now standing soldiers moved to surround the staff wielder.

Aang responded by sending out three air blasts with his staff, covering the fire people in snow.

"Looking for me?"

Zuko was beyond confused at this point.

_'How was this possible?'_

"You're the airbender? You're the Avatar?"

Sokka and Katara could barely believe the words coming out of their enemies mouth while Carly wondered why everyone was gasping.

"What the freak is an Avatar?"

"It's this world's ultimate protector," Spencer said while still keeping his eyes on the enemy. Feeling his sister's confused stare, he kept going. "Gran Gran said that the Avatar is the master of all bending styles. Their job is to keep balance and make sure nothing like what the Fire Nation is trying to do happens. But she said that he died off a hundred years ago and was never reborn."

The girl gaped at her brother and then at Aang. Who knew such power and responsiblity was in such a fun loving kid?

"I've spent years waiting for this encounter," Zuko said as he cirlced the Avatar. "Training. Meditating. You're just a child!"

"Well you're just a teenager," the boy said feeling he didn't have much right to say that.

Zuko in a burst of anger shot a fire blast, only for it to be deflected by the airbender's spinning staff. After the failed attempt, he tried to regain his focus. Blind rage would not work on the Avatar. Focusing until only the Avatar was in his vision, he began shooting out blasts, knowing they'd be deflected like the first, and tried to create an opening.

Everyone was so wrapped up in the fight and the fact that the Avatar had returned that no one noticed the boys Sokka had been training to be 'warriors' had started throwing snowballs at the skull masked soldiers. That is until one of them couldn't take it anymore.

"Enough!" he yelled as he shot a stream of fire directly at the now terrified children.

Spencer moved without a second thought. As soon as he was in front of the children, he closed his eyes and spread out his arms to protect them. He waited and waited for the burning to start but it never came. He barely opened one of his eyes to see a wall of water blocking the fire. The artist quickly turned to thank Katara but she was completely focused on Aang and the scarface. It made no sense. Katara was the only waterbender in the South Pole unless... _'That's impossible. We're not even from this world.' _He gave the wall a quickly glance. _'But...'_ Lowering his arms experimentally, the wall moved with them. The suprise would be his undoing as the wall splashed to the ground in his lost focus. Lucky for him and the kids the firebender had stopped, thinking it impossible to get past a waterbender in his element.

The air boy felt it was time to stop. Aang had seen the squable between Spencer and one of the soldiers and more than one of his deflections had sent fire close to Katara and the villagers. There was no other choose. Holding up his staff in a hopefully no hostile way, he asked, "If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?" His opponent seemed to think it over for a minute before relaxing his stance and nodding in approval. Two on the soldiers came up, one taking his staff and the other started leading him to the ship. Katara tried to stop him, the sound of her teary voice nearly made him, but this was the only way to keep her and everyone safe.

Zuko stopped midway up the ramp, remembering something.

"You," he spoke loudly and pointed. "If you would like transport home, you are more than welcome to come."

Everyone followed his finger to a very confused Carly.

_'Why would...' _Then she remember what Sokka and the others thought she looked like. Carly swore if he couldn't barbeque her alive she would have walked up and slapped him. "I'm not Fire Nation ya nub!" He looked at her strangely before disappearing into the ship.

As soon as the ramp closed he told the waiting Mako to tell the helmsman to set a course for the Fire Nation. Prince Zuko was going home.

_**Southern Water Tribe Village, One Hour Later **_

The shock took a while for the villagers to shake but soon they were up and about, fixing things from the attack. Repitching fallen tents and uncovering things buried in the snow were just a couple to name. Everyone was pitching in and speed up the reconstruction. All but one that is.

Katara had been staring off in the direction the ship had left since it's departure, wishing there was something she could do. It wasn't right for Aang to do that for the village, even if he was the Avatar. That was also one of the things she had been thinking on. Why had he lied to her? Why keep something like that a secret? She heard the snow crunching behind her and the familiar grumbling of her brother and her mind immediately went back to the problem at hand. Getting Aang back.

"We have to go after that ship, Sokka. Aang saved our tribe. Now we have to save him."

"Katara, I-"

"Why can't you realized he's on our side? If we don't help him, no one will. I know you don't like him! But we-"

"Katara! Are you gonna talk all day or are you comin with me?"

The young waterbender eyes widened when she turned to see him loading a canoe. She quickly ran over and hugged him. This was the Sokka that she knew would never let her down. He made a quick joke about her 'boyfriend' to which she denied though she could feel a light blush dusking her cheeks. They were just about to head off when a voice stopped them in their tracks. "What do you two think you are doing?" Both laughed nervously as they turned to see their Gran Gran's blank face boaring at them. "You will need these." A smile crossed her face as she held out a survival pack.

"You have a long journey ahead of you," she said as Katara tooked the pack, "It's been so long since I've had hope but you've brought it back my little waterbender." The elderly woman gave her granddaughter a hug before turning to her brother. "And you my brave warrior...be nice to your sister." The old woman hugged him too and laughed silently as he reassured her sarcastically. She pulled back and her face turned serious as she looked at the both of them. "Aang is the Avatar. He is the world's only chance. You and your friends found him for a reason. Now your destinies are intertwined with his."

The two took in her words and locked the stubborn will they had inheritted from their mother into place. They would save Aang and help him. Katara turned to the canoe with doubt and said, "There's no way we're going to catch a warship with a canoe..."

"We got that covered!"

The three Water Tribe members turned when they heard the shout and then a loud grumble. Soon Appa came over the hill with Carly and the reins and Spencer lounging on the saddle. Carly pulled the bison to a stop in front of them and her brother asked, "Need a lift?" Katara cheered while Sokka's eyebrow twitched.

"You just loooove taking me out of my comfort zone, don't cha?"

As soon as they loaded up the saddle, Appa flopped into the water and started after Aang.

"Go... Fly... Soar..."

And the sarcasm had been going on ever since they had decided to see if they could get the flying bison to earn his keep sake. But for the life of them none of them could think of the words to get him flying. So now Carly and Katara were trying to see if they could motivate him without it while Spencer took a nap, though they wondered how he could with Aang in trouble and Sokka's obnoxious sarcasm.

"Up... Ascend... Elavate..."

Tired of hearing Sokka's voice, Carly tried to bring out Appa's loyalty to Aang which seemed to at least get him riled up.

"What was it that kid said? Yee ha? Hup hup? Ya hoo?"

Spencer seemed to stir long enough to murmur, "Yip yip," and then he was conked out again, worn out from the days events.

That murmur was all Appa needed before he slammed his tail into the water and began to 'run on air'.

They all, minus Spencer, cheered as they started to fly. Both Carly and Katara had smug grins on their face as Sokka freaked out and then tried to cover it up like it was nothing.

_**Prince Zuko's Ship**_

Zuko moved the Avatar's staff in his hand, staring at it with restrained awe. The Air Nomads had been gone long before he was born, to hold the one tool that was a constant companion to all airbenders was unbelievable. That this one in particular was possibly the last and the Avatar's of all people made it even more so. "This staff will make an excellent gift for my father. I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks." Though he said that, he wasn't really sure he knew either. His sister, Azula, had all ways been his favorite. It didn't matter though. The prince had caught the Avatar and was returning home. He was restoring his honor and, in some place in the back of his mind, hopefully his father's approval. "Take the Avatar to the prison hold." Two of his skull masked soldiers grabbed the now shackled boy and took him away. "Mako, take this to my quaters. Then go check and see if the navigators have an estimate on how long our trip will take."

The brunette took the staff and bowed before taking off into the ship.

Aang tried to watch the boy holding his staff as his guards lead him into the bowels of the ship. The inside of the ship seemed to be different from the one him and Kuzon had snuck onto long ago. The Fire Nation had definitely stepped up their technology in the past hundred years. Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized that it might be all too possible for the firebenders to have reached his home. He pushed the thought even farther back and tried to focus on the task at hand. Escaping, finding his staff, and then getting the heck out of there. It was easy to tell his guards for firebenders because of their 'Oh so scary' skull masks, Kuzon always joked that it was to cover their ugly mugs. He laughed quietly to himself. They wouldn't have stood a chance against his master. They probably hadn't ever faced an airbender in there lifetime. _'Wait...'_

A rather mischievous thought entered his mind.

"So...I guess you've never fought an airbender before? I bet I could take you both with my hands tied behind my back."

"Silence!"

Aang mentally cursed when they didn't take the bait. Something else that had changed over a hundreds years. They finally managed to weed out at least some of the more prideful soldiers, whoses fuses lasted seconds before fireballs started shooting everywhere. Plan 'A' failed but as he saw the guard in front of him pull out a key, 'Plan B' formed. He waited until just before the guard had the key in the door before taking a deep breath and blasting himself backwards. One firebender slammed into the door while the other flew back with him, acting as a cushion against the stairs. The airbender quickly jumped to the top level and headed for the door he saw the soldier with his staff go through. A quick airbending trick turned the locking mechanism and he ran into another hall leading into the bowels of the ship. The boy picked up his speed as he heard one of his guards shout that he escaped.

He had just made it around another corner when he was stopped by three soldiers with swords. Most people would have tried to find another way but not Aang, who thought it would be easier just to ask. "You haven't seen my staff around, have you?" Their answer was pulling their swords back and getting ready to lunge at him. The air boy just shrugged and ran circles down the hall and pass the swordsmen. They obviously didn't know where his staff was. After a 'Thank you' to the men and jumping up to another level, Aang found himself face to face with another firebending soldier. The soldier immediately shot a stream of fire but thanks to some quick reflexes, he was able to jump over the stream and used the soldier's helmet spike to cut his hands free. Hands now free, he checked every door he passed looking for his glider. Door after door, one of which he had to whisper an apology to an old man napping, he finally came across an open door to a rather, by warship standards, fancy looking room and there it was. "My staff!" He smiled brightly as he ran into the room.

Zuko slammed the door closed as soon as the Avatar entered his room. As soon as he'd heard of the airbender's escaped, he had rushed to his room and waited, knowing the boy would go looking for his staff. The Fire prince had him captured again know and this time he would make sure he was unconscious before letting his guards take him to a holding cell. Fire began to fly everywhere but as he had read in scrolls the airbender's inherited reflexes and ability to dodge was making that difficult. Soon the Avatar was literally flying around on a ball of air, making him an even harder target. But eventually one of his blasts hit the ball of air, dispersing it and sending him into the wall. Thinking he'd had him, Zuko blasted another fireball but it missed as the boy shot up behind a wall scroll and some how managed to wrap it around the Fire prince. Thoroughly annoyed, he let out a roar and blasted the scroll from his body just as the airbender had his staff in hand. Seeing as his oppenent now had his weapon of choose, the prince decided to be more cautious and moved back a few steps. This would be his downfall as the boy used his staff to airbend his own mattress to slam him into the wall but that wasn't the end. Almost as soon as he fell forward, landing on the mattress, he was slammed into the ceiling. By the time he was able to lift his head, the Avatar was gone. Growling at his own weakness, Zuko pushed himself to his feet and gave chase to his once prisoner.

Mako was rather surprised with himself as he stared at the map with the ship's navigators. Surprised that while he couldn't understand a single word written on it or knew any of the place, he was able to point out slight errors some of them were making. He started to wonder if was the son of some map maker but decided it didn't really feel right. So after correcting their errors, Mako had saved them two days, they came up with the time span for their trip home. He was just about to go inform his master when the door handle suddenly began to spin rapidly before popping open. The young boy the prince had captured jumped through the hole and began making a mad dash for the open door way. Mako tried to catch him but before he could reach the railing the boy started gliding away. He turned to tell the helsmen to make sure they stayed close when he saw his master's head coming up through the hole. Knowing his master was willing do to anything to capture this person, including making an impossible jump, the memory-less boy bent forward and cupped his hands together. His shifu must have noticed him because he started running towards him. When Zuko's foot landed on his hands, Mako used all his strength to launch him towards the flying boy. His master just barely grabbed his prisoner's leg, which soon sent them both falling to the deck.

Not to far away, a flying bison's sensitive ears picked up the faint echo of someone yelling. One of its eyes flickered in the direction and saw a trail of smoke in the air. From what the girls on his back had said his friend had been taken by people who were on a ship like that. Hearing his passengers arguing, Appa roared before turning abruptly towards the smoke to pick up Aang.

"What is this psycho beast doing?" screamed Sokka as he pulled himself up from dangling off the side of the saddle.

"What's wrong, Appa?" Carly asked, rubbing his head to calm him down. When all he did was grumble, she decided to see where he was taking them. To her immense surprise, the brunette saw a trail of smoke moving over open water. "Guys! Appa found the ship!" She grabbed the reins and gave them a flick to see if she could get the bison going faster. It seemed to work as he gave another roar and started going down at an angle, rapidly increasing their speed. As they got closer, she saw two figures on the deck, one shooting fireballs and the other blowing them away. "Aang escaped!" Her joy dropped dead as before long Aang was swaying back and forth on the railing. She flicked the reins again to try and push Appa to go even faster but soon it was too late. With one last fire blast, the airbender went over the edge. Suddenly she heard Katara screaming and turned back to see Spencer and Sokka holding her from jumping in.

They waited on bated breath, praying he was resurface. And resurface he did, a swirling tower of water following his now glowing arrow-covered body. He landed on the deck safely and using the water he brought with him, wrapped it around himself before sending it out like a wave, pushing some of the soldiers overboard including scarface. "Now that was some waterbending," Spencer said wide eyed, expressing every other wide eyed person's opinion. The group watched as the glow started to dim before their friend crumbled to the ground. Landing on the deck, Katara, Sokka, and Carly jumped down and ran to Aang. The water girl craddled him in her arms, afraid the strange glowing had done just as much damage to him as the Fire soldiers. It wasn't long before he woke up and started looking for his staff. Carly volunteered to look for it while Katara and Sokka carried the airboy aboard Appa.

The brunette looked around before finally he eyes landed on it right near a gap in the railing. She took another quick look around to make sure no soldiers were still on deck. _'Sweet. Aang got 'em all.'_ Covering the distance in seconds, an oddity as she had never really been the atheletic type, her hands had just wrapped around it when it started jerking in the opposite direction. On the other end was scarface and the glare he was directing at her was terrifying. In fear, Carly started thrashing about, inadvirtently poking him in the head until he let go and dropped. After calming her racing heart, she turned to run to Appa and get off the janky ship only to be stopped by a group of soldiers surrounding her. She was pretty sure she flat-lined for a second, that is until one of them tried to reach for her. Again she began to thrash about with her eyes closed but now she was getting full swings with the staff. "Don't touch me! Don't touch me! Don't touch me!"

Though the soldiers may not have been able to get close easily, they found the girl's antics rather amusing. From the slight breeze she was making with each pass, they knew she was swinging with all her might. Smiles spread across their faces as her arms finally gave out and she had to use the staff for support because she was breathing so hard. One of them gave a signal and they all began to move in again. She tried to threaten them through gasps of breath but the soldiers didn't bite. The soldiers watched as she brought the staff back, one noticing strange flaps popping out on each side, and gave one last swing. Suddenly the fire men were flying backwards after being hit by an invisible wave.

Carly didn't know what had just happened. One minute the soldiers had her surrounded, then she swung Aang's staff and they went sailing through the air away from her. The brunette didn't get to really think about it as Sokka's voice interupted her. "Carly, come on! We gotta go!" She looked up to see the boy waving her over as more soldiers started climbing over the edge of the ship. She was about halfway there when suddenly her feet were covered in ice. Katara had accidently frozen her in place when she was aiming for the coming soldiers.

"Katara!"

The water girl yelled an apology and managed to get them second time round, though one soldier's hand was inches from her.

"Sokka, go get Carly!" exclaimed Katara as she climbed up Appa's side.

The water warrior jumped down as ordered but not without mumbling, "I'm just the guy with the boomerang! I didn't ask for all this flying and magic!" After getting the ice off her, Sokka easily threw Carly over his shoulder, much to her chargrin, and started running for the beast. As soon as he started up it's tail and began yelling 'Yip yip!' over and over, jumping into Appa's saddle just as the bison took off.

Iroh was having a rather relaxing nap when his new young friend came rushing into his cabin. "General, the prisoner escaped!" That was all he needed to hear before he jumped up from his bed and started for the top deck. He'd just made it out of the door when he heard a loud grumbling sound coming from above. To his immense surprise, a long extinct flying bison was flying away with the Avatar at the reins. He quickly began to look for his nephew and found him struggling to pull himself up on the deck with the help of his student.

Mako watched as his master ran over and lined up with the General. They went through a set of movements before shooting out what could only be described as a flaming comet straight at the strange beast flying away. The student was in awe of his master and Iroh. His wonderment doubled as the Avatar deflected, an awe inspiring move in itself, the comet and sent it into a nearby ice mountain, causing ice and snow to fall and cover the nose of the ship and then some, effective stopping it in it's tracks. Unbeknownst to anyone else, the amnesiac boy's inner fire was ablaze and a will to be that powerful was born that day.

"Good news for the Fire Lord. The Fire Nation's greatest threat is just a little kid," Iroh said casual, trying to lighten the anger already growing inside his nephew.

"That _kid,_ Uncle, just did this," Zuko said gesturing toward the sheet of ice. "I won't underestimate him again. Dig the ship out and follow them," the prince ordered, only to turn around and see some of his soldiers thawing out others. He turned back to the ice, angry that they would lose the Avatar's trail but knowing that his troop's came first. To his surprise, Mako ran over to the snow and lit his hand to start melting the ice. His only problem was he had to keep lighting his hand as the melted ice fizzled out his flame. Deciding to take pity on his student, Zuko walked up next to Mako and bent the heat of his inner fire till his hand was glowing with held back fire. "Like this, Mako."

**Sorry if it seems to just sort of cut off there. It seemed like a good spot to stop to me. I hope you still enjoyed.**

**Shifu = Chinese for teacher.**


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